In an effort to sing the praises of the wonderful, local things that Dallas has to offer, I’ve put together a list of 20 of my truly local Dallas favorites. Each is unique to Dallas. No big box stores or chains here. Read on to the find the best place in Dallas to get truffle cheese, make your own dress, and get the best espresso.

The Bishop Arts District will be closing down North Bishop Avenue this Saturday, June 12th, for the Second Annual Brew Riot Festival. From 6pm to 10pm, taste free samples from 11 homebrewers (like Nasty Nelly’s Strange Brew, MyBlock Miabock, or Mind the GAP Mild) and beers from 9 microbreweries.

Yes, Wicked fever had certainly been caught all across the city. One might think that maybe the hype was a little overplayed, that perhaps the stories people from all across the country had shared about their experiences with this (as some have said) “life-changing” show might be more hyperbolic than truth. If you thought that however…you’d be wrong.

Since Ignite’s inception in 2006, the Seattle-bred event has been scheduled in over 100 cities around the world. Dallas made that list back in March 2010 and Round 2 of Ignite Dallas is scheduled for June 2nd at Granada Theater. The evening will be high energy and offer professional and personal insight into some of the interesting and creative individuals living in our community. Seventeen different personalities will get on stage one after the other and share with the audience a piece of their lives and in just a very short period of time. 5-minutes to be exact!

Walking into 909 1st Ave. on Tuesday, you’d think for a moment that Dallas’ early days had suddenly made a pronounced resurgence.  Peeking out from amongst the concrete and glass, chuckwagons and cowboys emerged, entertaining Dallasites who were obviously enthralled by a life they knew little of, save what they had seen on television.  As […]

The new downtown park, Main Street Garden, will play host to a new community festival this month. The first annual Homegrown Music and Arts Festival has lined up some of the best of North Texas music and arts and is expected to bring in over 1500 attendees to the urban park. The event will feature 15 bands on two stages, including This Will Destroy You, The O’s, and RTB2, and 20 booths for local artists and businesses.

You’re destined to be inspired by attending this month’s Spark Club event at the Sons of Hermann Hall. The group of social entrepreneurs will collaborate with PechaKucha Night. PechaKucha (pronounced pe-chak-cha, meaning “chit chat” in Japenese) is an international event “for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.”

In its heyday Dallas was known for producing some of the best bands and having an incredible music scene in Deep Ellum. Find out who the up-and-coming bands are for 2010, where they’ve been, and where they’re performing in Dallas.

This Saturday is the 2nd Annual Etsy Dallas Spring Bash at the South Side on Lamar. 50 hand-picked artists will be laying out their best goods – offering unique and handmade art, jewelry, apparel, bath and body products and more. Shop for items that no one else will have and have fun doing it.

Dallas is a great place to be in the summer! There are a multitude of events that go on throughout the city, with work, play, travel, and an active work and social calendar, how does one balance it all? Learn 7 tips for balancing work, play, & travel inside.